The son of murdered Jean McConville has said Gerry Adams threatened him with a "backlash" if he released the names of those he believed were responsible.

Michael McConville has said he along with his family will continue to fight for justice after the Sinn Fein president was freed after questioning, but has maintained he could be shot if he disclosed the identities of suspects to police.

Michael McConville stands by a picture of his mother. Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Mr Adams, 65, was released after four days of questioning about the notorious 1972 killing of the mother-of-10 and other alleged links with the IRA, he vehemently rejected the allegations.

Mr McConville told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Gerry Adams says to me 'Michael, you are getting a letter of support from the republican people'. He says 'if you release the names I hope you are ready for the backlash'.

Northern Ireland should be wary of investigating historic cases of murder which took place during The Troubles as "they are in the past" and the public does not want "to go back to that".

Labour's Peter Hain told Good Morning Britain he did not think digging up the past would bring justice or closure to the victim's families.

"I do not think that going back 40 and more years in this fashion is actually going to take Northern Ireland forward, nor do I think, in the vast majority of unsolved cases, it will bring any sense of justice to victims."

The Government is "confident" authoritative institutions in Northern Ireland, like the police, are independent.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, the Northern Ireland Secretary dismissed calls from the son of disappeared Jean McConville to have her murder investigated by an independent body.

Theresa Villiers explained: "I am confident that the current institutions in Northern Ireland, the police service of Northern Ireland, and other institutions are independent. They will make fair and balanced decisions on this case, as they do in all others."